Rhodes selected for School’s staff excellence award

October 26, 2012

Sherry Rhodes, director of student services at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, is recipient of the School’s 2012 Staff Excellence Award. Rhodes accepted a plaque and monetary award at a ceremony on Oct. 23 in the School’s Armfield Atrium.

Sherry Rhodes

The annual award recognizes an employee whose work demonstrates impact and a focus on the core values of the School, as reflected through the criteria of diversity and inclusion, innovation, personal integrity, measuring and improving work processes, adaptability and flexibility, accountability, collaboration within and across School departments, units and centers, and initiative.

“Sherry is an invaluable staff member who has a wealth of knowledge about the Office of Student Affairs,” said Charletta Sims Evans, MEd, assistant dean for student affairs and one of Rhodes’ nominators. “She is always willing to help anyone who enters our office and has an answer for everything! She is passionate about our students’ success and is genuinely concerned about their progress. Our office was thrilled she was the recipient of this award.”

“Sherry really exemplifies what the award is about,” said Kathy Barboriak, PhD, assistant dean for information technology and interim director of communications at the School and chair of the award selection committee. “Her work has a real impact, not only because of what she does, but how she does it – through collaboration, inclusion and adaptability, values that are central to our mission.”Barboriak said she was pleased that more than 100 people in the School community participated in the nomination process. “It speaks volumes about our shared commitment to the School and to each other,” she said.

“It’s an honor to receive this award,” Rhodes said. “All the nominees are equally deserving.”

Rhodes, who lives in Cary, N.C., enjoys spending time with her 16-month-old grandson, Cole, reading and watching Tar Heel basketball. She began working at the School in 1993, first in the Department of Maternal and Child Health and then in the Office of Student Affairs.

“I have loved my 19 years at the School and especially love working with our great students,” she said. “They inspire me every day.”This year’s selection committee included, in addition to Barboriak, Glenn Walters, PhD, director of the Environmental Sciences and Engineering Design Center; Lisa Perry, maternal and child health business manager and the 2011 staff excellence awardee; Nancy Colvin, assistant to the chair for graduate students in epidemiology; and Angelica Figueroa, administrative assistant in the dean’s office.

The Staff Excellence Award has been presented annually since 1991. A list of past recipients is available online.